Health services utilization among the noninstitutionalized elderly.

Abstract

Data from a two-stage random sample of401 noninstitutionalized elderly individuals residing in 18 census tracts in the south-central part of Metropolitan St. Louis are used to assess the effects of the predisposing, enabling, and need characteristics on ten measures of health services utilization. Hierarchical multiple regression analyses indicate that: (I) Most of the explained variance in health services utilization may be attributed to the need characteristics, suggesting an apparently equitable system; (2) When a comprehensive version of Andersen's behavioral model is fielded, from 12 to 35 percent of the variance in health services utilization can be explained; and (3) Nutritional risk is the most important predictor of the total number of physician visits, visits to physicians in the emergency room, and the occurrence of hospital episodes. The implications of these analyses for modeling the health services utilization of elderly as well as for public policy concerning their health care, are discussed.